Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and systems used to provide water and/or nutrient/liquid to container-grown plants, specifically to a self-watering planter insert assembly comprising a tray with a perforated bottom surface and a fluid-containing base member or reservoir supporting the tray, which in combination are used within a planter or other container (decorative or non-decorative) to provide low maintenance, self-contained, and self-watering of a plant or plants having roots supported in the tray. A portion of the tray's bottom surface removably engages, and is supported at least in part by, a small interior circumferential rim inwardly projecting from the upper portion of the base member to provide secure positioning of the tray above the base member. In addition, the present invention planter insert assembly also preferably uses several stacked height-adjustment rings that can be selectively separated individually as needed from the top edge of the tray, such as but not limited to when the planter insert assembly is taller than the planter (or other container) intended for supporting it, and for enhanced decorative appeal of the plant/plants and planter combination it is desired for the present invention planter insert assembly to stay substantially hidden from view. One or more rings in stacked array may also be selectively added to the top edge of the tray (or to the top of an array of rings already secured to the top edge of the tray), with the amount of growth/support media needed in the tray to keep plants properly irrigated being one of the factors determining how many additional rings should be used.
The planter insert assembly of the present invention is low-maintenance and provides a significantly longer self-watering time period than is obtainable from most prior art self-watering systems in current use today for container-grown plants. Although the illustrations accompanying this disclosure show a planter insert assembly having a circular cross-sectional configuration, it may have any size or shape suitable for accommodation within the planter or other container selected for use with it, whether that planter or container has the cross-sectional configuration of a circle, rectangle, hexagon, or other regular or non-regular polygon, or an irregular arcuate perimeter configuration. Furthermore, more than one self-contained planter insert assemblies could be used within large containers, although a planter insert assembly nearly the same size and shape of the planter or other container with which it is to be used is currently the most common application. In addition, since the present invention planter insert assembly is typically hidden within a planter/container, it requires no decorative enhancement, although it may be made in a variety of colors or have various decorative surface texture patterns, designs, imprinted information, decals, informational stickers, and/or other decoration or attachment desired for marketing purposes. Depending upon the type and size of plants grown therein, indoor use of the present invention planter insert assembly may permit minimum maintenance-free periods of several months, with outdoor use permitting even longer maintenance-free periods when the planter insert assembly is positioned to benefit from rainwater replenishment, and if it rains often enough, no other water refill of its base member will be required. Another advantage of the planter insert assembly is that no municipal power or water supply connections are needed for its function, allowing it to service a wider variety of locations. Contemplated applications of the present invention planter insert assembly include use in planters and other containers located in and around public places, such as but not limited to, shopping malls, commercial buildings, hotels, convention centers, and college campuses. However, indoor and outdoor residential use by families and individuals are also considered important applications of the present invention and within its contemplated scope.
Furthermore, although not limited thereto, the most preferred embodiments of the present invention self-watering planter insert assembly comprise a base-member-to-tray volume that is approximately 4:1, although a minimum base-member-to-tray volume of least 2:1 is also contemplated. When a 4:1 nutrient/fluid-to-soil ratio is used, the self-watering time for plants grown indoors is at least two to three months, and longer self-watering time periods have been demonstrated for plants with low fluid requirements and those planter insert assemblies located outdoors and situated to receive at least occasional rainwater replenishment.
The tray of the most preferred embodiment of the present invention planter insert assembly is sturdily supported by its paired base member, and easily and readily removable from the base member (unless the tray is large in size and the weight of the fluid-saturated soil and plants therein makes it too heavy for one person to easily lift), with a connection between the upper and base members that is preferably provided by a strong and stable double-wall/double-ledge connection involving the previously mentioned small circumferential rim inwardly projecting from the upper portion of the base member's interior surface. A perimeter cutout/notch on the bottom exterior edge of the tray provides a vertically-extending wall that is configured to engage the inside surface of the base member (double-wall connection) above the small interior rim while the bottom surface of the tray adjacent to this wall engages the top surface of the interior rim (the first horizontally-extending ledge). The cutout/notch area also provides a stop, overhang, or inverted ledge (the second horizontally-extending ledge in the double-wall/double-ledge connection) that is in substantially perpendicular orientation to the vertically-extending wall and becomes wedged against the top perimeter edge of the base member for secure positioning of the upper and base members against one another when the tray is lowered into its desired position of use and it becomes supported by the base member.
In addition, the tray has a perforated bottom surface that allows surplus rainwater not needed immediately for plant irrigation to move downwardly via gravity into the base member for storage. The tray also has a fill-tube upwardly depending from its bottom surface for convenient routine fluid/nutrient replenishment without separation of upper and base members, and also for prompt and easy fluid/nutrient level assessment without having to move the tray or otherwise disturb plants and their support medium positioned in the tray. A handle is also positioned on the top of the fill-tube for easy lifting and lowering of the tray relative to the base member. Fluid-permeable material covers the perforations and blocks entry of the soil or other plant support/growing medium into the base member. Also, at least one wicking member is distributed across the fluid-permeable material (under the soil or other plant support medium) with a portion of it extending through one or more openings in the fluid-permeable material aligned with one or more of the perforations in the bottom surface of the tray (with multiple wicking members each typically inserted through a different paired opening/perforation from the others) to gradually draw nutrient/fluid from the base member upwardly into soil or other medium in the bottom surface of the tray that supports plant roots. Since its perforations allow surplus rainwater to exit the present invention tray via gravity and the wicking member or members only bring fluid into the tray from the base member until fluid saturation of the soil or other growth medium occurs, over-watering of plants grown in the tray is not possible, an important objective and advantage of the present invention so that plant roots are not harmed. In addition to other factors, the number of wicking members varies according to the size of the tray and the ambient temperature around the tray, as well as the age, number, and type of plants supported in the tray.
The base member also always has at least one overflow hole near its top edge, but with a portion thereof below its interior rim to prevent fluid already accumulated in the base member from blocking the downward flow of excess rainwater into the base member, which could otherwise saturate plant roots and cause them harm. In very large present invention planter insert assemblies, base members may also have a lower fluid drain opening (capped or otherwise sealed unless needed for drainage use). Plants are typically established in a soil or other growing/support medium distributed within the tray, however plants may also be in pots supported by the present invention tray as long as the pots allow plant roots to uptake water or nutrient/fluid at a rate that sustains plant growth. Advantages of the present invention planter insert assembly include structure that provides a constant/steady supply of water and fertilizer to plants, easy cleaning, no municipal power or water supply connections, significantly longer self-watering time periods than known prior art self-watering containers, durable construction, easy height adjustment, and easy/prompt installation and assembly.
Description of the Related Art
People enjoy having plants as a part of their surroundings, but depending upon their location, plants may require a lot of maintenance. Also, in heated and air-conditioned buildings, humidity is generally low, and more frequent watering of indoor plants is typically needed. Furthermore, indoor temperature, sunlight level, air drafts, and positioning near a door that subjects a plant to frequently changing local conditions, can have a significant affect on a plant's need for water and nutrients, and lead to additional time spent on planter monitoring and/or maintenance. Container-grown plants that are located outdoors and in patio areas can be subjected to even more variation in ambient temperature, sunlight level, and air movement, all of which will affect plant moisture requirements. The goal of the present invention is to provide a means of eliminating the daily labor that would otherwise be needed to keep container-grown plants and flowers properly irrigated for a significantly longer self-watering time period than is obtainable from most prior art self-watering systems in current use today for container-grown plants. While irrigation devices and systems are known for container-grown plants, no device or system is known with the same structure, same wicking system, an easy height-adjustment capability, or all of the other features and advantages found in the present invention.
While several prior inventions are known to have similarities in function and/or structure to the present invention, it is distinguishable from all of them. The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,899 to Close (1977) is a liquid-recycling planter with a base that functions as its reservoir. However, the Close invention is not a removable insert for use within an independent planter, and does not have detachable height adjustment rings. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0072492 to Olson (2008) is also a plant watering/food dispensing system that can be imbedded in a plant growth pot. However, it is different from the present invention in that, as revealed in paragraph [0024] of the Olson disclosure, its container 11 of food and water would be inserted into a hole 21 in the pot, and positioned behind a door 24 to prevent household animals from drinking out of it. In contrast, the present invention is contemplated for insertion into an existing planter and the positioning of its tray does not allow animal access to fluids in its base member. In addition, the present invention would not work as contemplated with its base member secluded within in a specially constructed chamber behind a door. Furthermore, the Olson invention does not disclose self-contained system that allows excess rainwater to pass through perforations in a plant tray into a reservoir below for recycling. Similarly, while the inventions in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,170 to Futura (1998), U.S. Pat. No. 7,607,257 to Goldberg (2009), U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0000159 to Billette (2005), and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0011124 to Sanderson (2005), each disclose a potted plant situated directly over a reservoir, none comprises a perforated plant tray that helps to make the present invention into a self-contained system that allows excess rainwater to bypass plant roots and move through perforations in its plant tray via gravity into a reservoir below for recycling, or has connection of its tray and base member relying at least in part upon a small circumferential rim inwardly projecting from the upper portion of the base member's interior surface. No other planter insert assembly is known that functions in the same manner as the present invention, has the same structure disclosed herein, or provides all of the present invention's important advantages.